Dollars & Sense

David and Janet Twining seized instant success with Nantucket’s restaurant in Fenwick Island when they opened it up 20 years ago, reproducing the taste and charms of New England. This summer, they’ve done it again with the trendy and casual Lobster Shanty, offering a funky twist on the nation’s northeastern region.

Combine years of pizza-making and management experience with a Pennsylvania tradition four decades in the making, and you’ve got Fox’s Pizza Den, a new establishment in Millville that is quickly picking up a following. Throw in a 10-mile delivery radius and extended hours of operation, and you have a recipe for instant appeal.

Budding ballerinas and up-and-coming hip-hoppers now have a new place to learn some movies. X-Squad Dancers have relocated from Ocean City, Md., to Selbyville, in addition to their Crofton, Md., studio.

Erin Vitalos is the co-owner and co-director of X-Squad, along with Devon Cooper and Cheri Demco.

For close to a decade, McCarthy Stones has been one of the area’s leaders in exterior home improvements and landscaping, but recently they’ve expanded their services to cater to even more clients. Customers can now turn to the McCarthys for equipment rentals, as well as tent and tent accessory rentals for any occasion.

Deep in the heart of Indonesia, a tree grows under the careful guidance of the government and plantation owners. The result is a sustainable industry known as teak furniture, and locals can own a piece of it, thanks to Windsor Teak Imports.

Owner Ken Glass and Vice-President of Sales Mike Weso started displaying their teak wares at boat and home shows in the area this past winter.

It can be one of the most frustrating parts of running a small business – you hire new employees and spend good money to train them, only to see them leave for perceived greener pastures a couple of months later.

Local residents and businesses may help those less fortunate in the community by bringing in items to the Edward Jones branch office in Ocean View during regular business hours through Aug. 30. The physical address for the office is 111 Atlantic Ave., and they are located next door to the Coastal Point. The donated items will remain in the Indian River School District.

For the fifth year out of the past six, financial-services firm Edward Jones ranks highest in investor satisfaction with full-service brokerage firms, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study, announced Chris Theis, a financial advisor with Edward Jones.

Small nonprofit organizations at risk of losing their tax-exempt status because they failed to file required returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009 – including some local groups – can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, 2010, under a one-time relief program, the Internal Revenue Service announced this week.

Brandi L. Carr, an oncology nurse with more than 12 years of experience working with cancer patients, has been named manager of oncology nursing and research at Beebe Medical Center. Carr is based at Tunnell Cancer Center and oversees a nursing staff of 27 who are assigned to radiation oncology, medical oncology and to oncology research and performance improvement.

There’s no question that the lineup of cuisine throughout the area is a difficult one to compete with, but brothers-in-law Carl Moyer and Aaron Doyle have seemed to have had no problems stepping into the scene. Fresh baked breads, hand-sliced cheeses and meats to order, and pasta and shrimp salads made from scratch are helping The Chef’s Pantry become the community’s acclaimed delicatessen.

For those looking for the refreshing treat of an ice cream cone or sundae without all the hassle of trying to find a parking space, Beach Plaza Scoops could be just the ticket. Beach Plaza Scoops has old favorites Jack and Jill ice cream and Philadelphia Water Ice. Cone or cup, sundaes, milkshakes or banana splits, the shop could fill a sweet tooth craving for nearly anybody.

Sometimes you have to meet your customers where they are. A good example might be La Bamba – a Mexican restaurant in the heart of Dagsboro that has recently gotten a facelift and changed its name. When asked why she made the change, from Rincón Jarocho to La Bamba, owner and cook Lorena Mora said it was simply because La Bamba is easier for Americans to remember and pronounce.

Running a seafood market is not exactly how David and Beth Long envisioned spending time as grandparents, but nevertheless, the opportunity came knocking on their door.

“Who better to build your home than the man who designed it?”

Sláinte Pub and Restaurant – a new eatery and bar on Route 54 in West Fenwick Island – boasts both authentic Irish cuisine and traditional Irish hospitality. The restaurant held its soft opening over Memorial Day weekend, with a packed house by word of mouth alone, and plans are to hold an official grand opening June 25 and 26.

A decade ago, Ruthie Parramore had never dreamt she’d be at the helm of her own bakery, satisfying the sweet tooth of hundreds of people, young and old. Now, Ruthie’s Bethany Beach Bakery is aiming to bring back a local tradition and continue a family legacy.

Each season, restaurant establishments do what they can to provide great service and food to locals and vacationers, alike, but few can claim the longevity and dedication that Warren’s Station has brought in Fenwick Island. This summer, the area staple will celebrate half a century at the Delaware shore – an accomplishment that few local restaurant owners can boast.

The Café on 26 opened its doors in Ocean View on May 1, with a goal of bringing outstanding coffees and delicious, health-minded meals to their customers. Co-owners Cathy Berzins and Maria Fraser have combined their decades of business and restaurant experience in an effort to transform the former fine-dining restaurant the Oak Arbor Inn into a casual bistro that keeps patrons coming back, day after day.

Anyone driving down Route 1 cannot help but notice the renovations that have been done at the East Hickman Beach Plaza. Miranda and Hardt Contracting was the construction team behind those renovations, which are now nearing completion.

Anybody knows it’s hard to get two people to agree on something sometimes, let alone more than 500. And yet, the Salt Pond Homeowner’s Association did just that and is going strong after deciding nearly three years ago that they would collectively purchase the golf course that lies within their community, just outside of Bethany Beach off of Fred Hudson Road and Cedar Neck Road.

Since the age of 12, Janilyn Elias recalls the family trips to the Delaware beaches throughout the summertime, and working at the then-and-now, well-known establishments, like The Right Angle and Dirty Harry’s. This spring, she’s brought a little bit more to Fenwick Island, too, with Indulgence, the newest head-turning gift shop in the Village of Fenwick. Once inside, shoppers will notice an array of products for themselves and their four-legged friends. As Elias describes, Indulgence sports unique gifts for pets and their people.

In 2006 – when Jerry Richard first opened Steakhouse 26 in the Millville Town Center – the establishment quickly became a favorite for beachgoers and locals alike. The dimly lit restaurant reflected the look of an urban, fine-dining steakhouse. But, a struggling economy and inflation in the beef industry now has the place singing a different tune. Now, simply known as “twenty-six,” Richard’s restaurant blends a fresh, coastal menu, raw bar and a newly hired chef with a local staple, while retaining some of the aspects that customers have grown to love.

Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club will host the annual Ravens Roost #44 Scholarship Golf Tournament on June 4, starting at 9 a.m. Funds from the event provide for the awarding of two scholarships each, to graduating seniors from Stephen Decatur High School, Worcester Prep and Indian River High School.

Advertisements on television, radio and in magazines recognize Verizon Wireless as one of the largest and most rapidly growing telecommunications providers, and with a new store location popping up in Millville recently, many of their local customers can breathe a little easier.

Harris Teeter will open its new store near Bethany Beach in the coming weeks, welcoming more than 60 associates to the new location. The store is located in Salt Pond Plaza and is scheduled to open on Wednesday, March 31, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. that day.

Here in Sussex County, if you look in the right places, you can find breakfast hotspots and sandwich shops, but there has only been one McCabe’s Gourmet Market, whose longevity and popularity have made it a staple throughout the community. With springtime upon us, the South Bethany favorite, celebrating a quarter-century and counting, is opening its doors for the season, once again, serving up fresh brewed coffees and unrivaled, gourmet sandwiches.

This past winter, the Shamrock Shanty made a move for Fenwick Island, and with St. Patrick’s Day nearly arrived, store owner Pat Griffith won’t even need the luck o’ the Irish this season, as business is already taking off.

The message is clear: for homeowners facing foreclosure or even just starting to feel the pinch of not being able to make mortgage payments: don’t give up. And no matter what, don’t just walk away. With the economy and housing industry still struggling, there are plenty of options out there and more ways to get help every day.

West 54 Café, one of the area’s breakfast and lunch hotspots, this Sunday is debuting their monthly art show, which will feature some of the area’s most respected and emerging artists. On Sunday, Feb. 28, the Fenwick Island coffee shop’s first free show will kick off at 5 p.m., and organizers are inviting the public to enjoy food and drinks while getting to know some of the community’s artists.